| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  Another sign of a bad economy- Poor horses  |
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
|
|
Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 13 2009 : 6:24:25 PM
|
Just another day at the Horse Rescue. We took in 20 starving horses today in Bonhame, TX. Four have died already from starvation before we could even start feeding them. We could sure use some new Adoption and Foster homes. There wasn't even enough meat on them for them to go to the slaughter house if they were still open. Sigh.... Where will these ones go?
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
 |
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2009 : 6:39:52 PM
|
Beth, the problem here is the rescues are closing due to no donations, which means no feed or vet care. We used to have 5 in my area, now there is only 2, and they are over full, there are no more foster families avalible, they are full also. Not everyone is able to take them in do to finances and avalible room. I have beleived for years , "NO ONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BREED ANY KIND OF ANIMAL WITHOUT TRAINING AND TUFF LICENSEING LAWS", but it will never happen in our life times. Like I have said before, "you can't save them all", and you should only save the ones who will be adoptable and healthy. Trailering in dying animals is hard on everyone, including the animals, the kindest thing to do sometimes is euthanasa. I hope the owners of these animals are prosecuted, there is no excuse for any of this, if you can't feed and care for them, call someone for help!!!
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
MeadowCrone
True Blue Farmgirl
220 Posts
Bernadine
Island Park and Salem
ID
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2009 : 8:31:52 PM
|
Maybe we should start should send them all to PETA! How can we get the slaughter law turned around? Anybody have any ideas? Does it help to call your Congressman?
Gratefully living on the "fat of the land". |
|
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2009 : 8:45:58 PM
|
As far as re-opening the slaughter houses, only if they can completly change the way they are run, cause they are cruel, and there is no reason to be cruel to any animal ever.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2009 : 9:08:37 PM
|
I've never had a horse, but how much does it cost to euthanize a horse as compared to feeding it for say, one week? I once cleaned stalls at a stable where the owner was very poor; he had horses he was boarding for other people, but one of his horse was in such bad condition that it could barely walk. He said it needed to be put down but he couldn't afford it. It seems like a matter of misplaced priorities. People have the money to buy horses but not the money to feed them? I only cleaned stalls once for this guy and never went back; not only was it depressing but I felt bad taking his money when he obviously couldn't afford to take proper care of his horses. It's almost like the people who hoard dogs and cats--it's indicative of a type of mental disorder. Somewhere, they have a disconnect with reality. I don't know what the answer is.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Hosanna
True Blue Farmgirl
466 Posts
Hosanna
Alton
Virginia
466 Posts |
Posted - Aug 14 2009 : 07:02:46 AM
|
According to the video posted on my "horse" blog, on the racetracks, it costs around $60 to euthanize them. That was a few years ago. When I had an old rescued mare I took in euthanized this spring, it cost about $100. That doesn't include paying someone to dig a hole for burial.... $150 when we had it done. Feeding a horse for a week varies. Good keepers on good pasture cost very little. My 4 Thoroughbreds in training cost me about $50-$60 per week to feed..... that does not include hay; as we grow and bale our own hay, and don't buy it.
I read about a euthanasia clinic held somewhere this past spring.... a rescue group sponsored it, and they did about 15 horses. Older, sick ones - for free. First they did an exam to see if the horses could be rehabilitated, tho. It is so sad.
When I took the mare in, with another skinny gelding also, they were in such bad shape I didn't really know where to begin. I had very little room for more horses, and hay was getting scarce. I called a big rescue group in NC and one in VA to see if they had a foster home or something where people who do this sort of thing all the time could take them for me. They said no. They had no room, no hay, no money; nothing. So I kept them and found space and food for them on my farm anyway. The gelding went to a great new home, and the mare got so old and feeble I had to put her down... I do not like to watch horses suffer when I know it is the end for them.
I think the bottom line is this: People need to STOP breeding horses unless you plan on keeping the animal or have a plan in place for properly re-homing it to an appropriate owner. PERIOD.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Windsong
True Blue Farmgirl
309 Posts
LaVonna
Decatur
Tx
309 Posts |
Posted - Aug 15 2009 : 12:13:17 AM
|
I think that there are many people who would and could take a horse in. Every month many people move from the city to the country and they want to do such things but do not know how. Horses are not terribly expensive to keep for the most part.Breeding is a hot issue being discussed here so take in a gelding. I wonder how many of those there are that are homeless?
We give our own shots, our horses are "barefoot", we put gravel around the water tank and the mineral block and so their hooves are rarely needing to be trimmed. I have a few that really do not do well on a hay only diet (they still get pelleted feed) but they need grass. Grass is not so good around here now. It makes it a challenge.
Don't call in PETA- those people are crazy.
And Beth, was it, I sure wish I were closer I would foster one of those.
As far as the hoarders go... I kind of feel like one for cats. It is just the barn cats and they are the ones that find their way here after being dumped. I feed them and I have not had mice, rats, or snakes. But I do not need this many- way too much- but I ask people if they need a cat and they say "no I have one" ONE!!! Have two. If you live in the country have 3. I do not go pick these up they just wonder up. The vet said I should shoot them, I cannot. I would like to shoot those that dump them.
OK, I am off of my soapbox now
www.windsongwellnessandtherapyshoppe.com
http://sadiesfarm.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Windsong
True Blue Farmgirl
309 Posts
LaVonna
Decatur
Tx
309 Posts |
Posted - Aug 15 2009 : 12:16:11 AM
|
OK, not quite off the soapbox, what do you do when you have mares and the new city slickers move in next door and get not one but two stallions? We have gelded all male horses on our place and there these guys are running the fence all hot and bothered. And I know that fences do not stop passion.
What do you do?
www.windsongwellnessandtherapyshoppe.com
http://sadiesfarm.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Aug 15 2009 : 06:12:14 AM
|
I would run a double fence along their fence line another 3-4 feet in from the original fence. I know this seems like a waste of space, but you don't want them mating through the fence. I would make sure it was 3-4 strands of electric. If that doesn't work, the more expensive option is to put up a 6-8 foot privacy fence. Then the studs wouldn't be able to see the other horses, but depending on the pasture size- that could get very expensive.
The last thing is to put up some of those very fast growing trees that make natural fences...Thuja Green Giant or Leyland Cyprus both of which grow 3-4 feet per year and you can plant next to each other to create a solid wall of green. So if you bought them at 3 foot now, they would be 6 foot tall next year. That's a bit of a slower fix than building a fence now, and probably about the same amount in money unfortunatly.
I guess the only other thing after fencing and shrubbery is out of the question is talking to the city slickers and if the studs ever do cause problems report it to the sheriff.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Aug 15 2009 : 2:34:15 PM
|
One thing you might do with the city slickers is find out if they have insurance to take care of any damage their stallions may do. Stallion insurance is very very expensive. Lots of folks don't know that you need it. You can sue them if their stallions do damage or get to your mares. The insurance issue is why alot of stable owners don't allow stallions. If they are city slickers they will understand the word insurance. If they do get out or break the fencing, call the local law enforcement. They hate getting those calls and usually come down pretty hard on the stallion owners. Otherwise an electric fence is your best bet.
As far as euthanasia it can cost anything from $100 to $200 plus disposal of the body, either in your yard or pasture or having someone pick it up. However, if you can't afford that most people have a friend with a gun and if you know what you are doing it is quick and painless. And quick and painless with a 25 cent bullet is better than months and months of slow starvation or a bolt to the head and being skinned alive.
Just a note, the meat markets in Europe are no longer going to allow horse meat from America to be sold in their markets. They don't like that we feed our horses supplements and use bute and aspirin. It gets into the meat. So only the Japanese and the Haitians and Cubans will be eating our horse meat. I feed my horses all the supplements they need and won't stop. I figure if those people are sick enough to eat horses they deserve whatever is in the meat. If I believed in drugs I might give them to my horses to poison horse meat eaters. - Not That I Would Ever Allow Mine To End Up in A Slaughter House - I would dig the hole myself with a shovel first. There is no point in slaughtering horses in this country. Even is you can no longer afford to feed your horse a bullet is better than slaughter or starvation. I know that alot of shelters are closed up and money is tight. We are dealing with that ourselves. But it seems like everytime things get really bad something happens to keep us going. We just rescued 200 in Nebraska a few months ago and we sent out a call for foster homes, adoptive homes and donations. We took in donations that covered the cost and we had about $100. extra dollars. All the horses but two went to foster or adoptive homes. There were 40 stallions in that group. One of the mares - she is 36 years old - just gave birth to a little filly last weekend. She was exposed to all 40 of those stallions. But she is safe and the baby is beautiful. We are naming it Audi - an Indian word that means "Last Daughter". Because this is her last. No more breeding for that awesomely beautiful, regal, strong mare who has had enough and will live out her life in comfort with lots to eat and lots of love. I just hope that when her little girl is her age the same will be true for her.
So far in the group we took in this week 3 were dead when we got there, we have had to put 6 down, three have gone to an adoptive home and one has gone to a home in exchange for 4 round bales of hay. We have had 4 other round bales of hay donated for them. They are at a ranch in north Texas temporarily until we can place them or transport them to our Ranch close to Galveston.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
|
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 15 2009 : 3:11:01 PM
|
Beth, Bless you for what you do, and everything else you wrote in your post. I hate what this economy is doing to people and animals alike, and I hate what stupid people are doing everyday to animals, they get this mentality of " Its only a dog, cat, horse etc" it just makes me homicidal. I have seen the worst of the worst, and it makes you so ill, and its a picture that you will never forget. I would say at least 85% of the population should NEVER own any kind of animal.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 08:53:08 AM
|
Beth, what a wonderful thing you are doing. I have seen on Animal Cops about all the horses in Texas that are abused and neglected and people like you who take them in and love them back to health. What a great thing to be able to do this.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 09:13:22 AM
|
Some days I cry all the way home from work. When you see those beautiful noble creatures reduced to skin stretched over bones and they are to weak to walk, or they have wounds so badly infected they have gangrene, or feet so neglected they can't walk or a halter the is a foal halter on a full grown horse and it is grown into their face so badly the bones in their nose and jaw are broken it makes you want to commit murder. Then the judges won't even forbid the stupid people to own horses again. Abuse and neglect of horses isn't just in Texas. We got one in from Florida the other day that has had a broken leg for two years and never ever treated. The two hundred we just rescued were from Nebraska. I think people all over the world have no respect for animals. It is rewarding when you see one go to a good home and we are very careful of the homes they go to. We do lifetime follow-ups on them. We check in every 6 months for two years then once a year after that. It is a big job but we make a commitment to the horses. If they are not being cared for we take them back. I just hope the economic situation gets better soon because funds are getting hard to come by and we have more horses than ever. If anyone is interested our web-site is habitatforhorses.org. We just got a new web-master so changes are being made on the site. One of my horses is on the adopted horse page. Colonel Montgomery Dunbar. He was skin and bones when we found him wandering down the side of the road.
He is an awesome guy now and a really easy keeper which makes me think he had been starving for a long time to be in that shape.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 09:46:43 AM
|
Beth- is your organization helping with the 76 Arabs that were seized the other day from Pilot Point? I am so devestated that I can't send money right now. We have to make sure we can feed our horse first before feeding rescues, ya know? Anyway I can't vouch for all 76 but I do know that a lot of those horses have world class pedigrees and some are proven champions. The Straight Egyptian community is pretty upset that this guy let his horses get in this condition.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Hosanna
True Blue Farmgirl
466 Posts
Hosanna
Alton
Virginia
466 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 11:02:01 AM
|
You're a braver girl than I am, Beth. I would have a nervous breakdown if I was in on rescues like that, or in jail for assaulting the creeps who do this to horses and other animals. I sat around watching an "animal cop" show on TV while on vacation one time and just cried for hours and couldn't eat anything for a while, it upsets me so bad. I just want to go hug my guys right now, down in their big new barn with their feed, hay, and their fans to keep them cool in the summertime heat. *Sniff*
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
ZenGoddess
True Blue Farmgirl
613 Posts
Cindy
MO
USA
613 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 12:43:53 PM
|
I agree with ya all I have horses and goats and chickens cats and dogs, we aquired two stray cats this week. I went to a farmers market this A.M. and brought home 3 banties = 2 hens and a couchon rooster.. they said they needed to sell /no feed. This time of year it takes nothing to feed a few chickens and the bugs they will eat will just be helping out around here.
Might be dumb ?? but here goes : Just what really helps keep snakes away ??? We are not used to them ! Thanks for any help on that.
Zens Goddess
Simplify |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 3:30:28 PM
|
Cindy, large chickens/small snakes, guinea hens, some dogs will kill snakes, some cats, owls, hawks, a sharp shovel or hoe, a well aimed bullet
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 7:14:24 PM
|
No we are not involved with the Pilot Point group yet. Sometimes the Houston, SPCA and other rescues go in and actually pick up the animals then after a week or so we get a call from them and go pick them up from whoever picked them up in the first place. We placed 17 paints that the Houston, SPCA picked up a little while back. `As far as snakes I really don't know.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
|
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2009 : 7:29:02 PM
|
Beth, I went to your habitatforhorses.org web site , and cried the entire time reading the stories, I have worked with animal rescues in the past and personaly seen the worst of the worst. I had to quit before I ended up in prison, and the emotional drain was incredible, I could not come home and let it go, and it wasn't fair to my family. Still thru the years I have brought many a dog and cat home, sometimes plural. I have been lucky to either have room for them here or been able to place them in loving forever homes. Thank you for doing what you do, and if in the future I have a empty corral, I will come to habitat first.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2009 : 06:09:44 AM
|
Thank you for thinking of us Teresa. I know what you mean about other rescues. I personally have 4 rescued Great Danes, a Lab Mix and Boarder collie mix, 4 cats, at one time we hat 9 ferrets. We have three rescued Parrots, two finches, several class room rats, two hedgehogs and various other small furry creatures. I never realized there were animals out there that needed rescue besides dogs and cats until I went to work for Habitat. If we seize horses from a property and there are other animals we are required by law to take the other animals as well. We have pigs, goats and dogs all in adoptive homes that we have taken in. There are just so many it is overwhelming.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
|
|
|
Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2009 : 06:40:52 AM
|
We just got involved with the Pilot Point Horses. That is 23 from Bonham County and 76 from Pilot Point. That is 99 horses into the organization in 1 week. If anyone in Texas has room for a foster or adopted horse please think about us.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
|
|
Windsong
True Blue Farmgirl
309 Posts
LaVonna
Decatur
Tx
309 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2009 : 3:00:12 PM
|
Beth, I have forwarded this to my friend in Arkansas who is a arab horse fan. Will they let them go there? She is in NW Arkansas.
I am so close to them and my heart breaks. I do not have a fancy place my horses are pasture kept - they do not even have a stall. I am afraid I would not qualify to foster or adopt but I will pass information on. Denton is 25 miles from me. Can I do anything else? What are adoption requirements?
www.windsongwellnessandtherapyshoppe.com
http://sadiesfarm.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Barnyard Buddies: Another sign of a bad economy- Poor horses |
|
Another sign of a bad economy- Poor horses
